Dear Happy Asses,
I was standing in line when suddenly a loud buzzer went off. A lady, calm at first, then startled, then running, bolted out the door with what appeared to be stolen merchandise. The clerk, who looked a little befuddled but remarkably composed, simply watched her go.
I’ve thought about that moment a lot. At first, I wondered why she didn’t chase the woman down. But then I looked around: a full store, a long line of paying customers waiting to be helped, and a whole lot of good right in front of her.
Maybe she made a split-second decision… not to chase what was getting away, but to take care of what was right before her.
Later she told me, almost casually, that this happens more often than anyone would imagine. Yet she chose calm. She chose presence.
This morning, sitting here with my cappuccino and my Sunday thoughts, I realized something:
I do that too.
I chase after the thing I think I’m losing—
the opportunity that passed,
the person who left,
the mistake already made,
the past I cannot rearrange no matter how my mind tries to go back and negotiate a better outcome.
All the while, my life is filled—overflowing—with opportunities, blessings, people, and purposes that are mine to hold right now. And still, somehow, my mind can wander to what ran out the door.
But as I grow into my truest, most authentic self, I am learning something liberating: What I thought was stolen from me was often simply removed. Not taken, but allowed to pass, so I could focus on what is meant for me.
I don’t have the energy, the time, or the desire to chase things that are not mine anymore. I am going full throttle toward the life right in front of me.
I keep thinking about that clerk. She could have chased the emboldened thief, but she stayed with the abundance already around her. I admire her for that. My only regret is that I didn’t get her name so I could thank her for the unexpected wisdom she handed me that day.
She paid attention to what stayed, not what ran away.
That is how I want to live.
I hope I remember—really remember—to keep my eyes on what is right before me:
Good health.
Kind friends.
A fulfilling career.
My precious podcast.
My family.
And the abundance that is freely mine.
I don’t have to chase after the things that got away.
Because there is so much good all around me, staying right here!!!!
Loving you all real big!!!!
Karen
